In this chapter from Bishop Schnase's book Remember the Future. He writes about listening to an interview with a priest who works with young people involved in urban gangs and the tools they use to guide them to a different lifestyle are derived from Alcoholics Anonymous. And the maxim the priest used was "It takes what it takes."This saying refers to the fact that each person's journey is unique and different. Their experiences evoke different responses. And the event that leads to wanting to a different life will be unique to that person. And when that moment happens recovery and transformation begins.
For some it takes loosing family and friends, another falling in love, having a child, or just being tired of being tired. It can be an unexpected run in with death, or an arrest. All these things stimulate yearning for a new life. In these moments a person is struck with grace and an opening occurs.
The priest made a point to say that he does not change lives, God does that. He does not use persuasion as a tool, but points to the door and says 'I believe that if you go through that door you will live a happier life.' The priest looks for people who are ready to change.
This has familiar tones of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). People come to themselves through varied experiences. Zacchaes needed Jesus to dine with him, the woman at the well needed a penetrating and true conversation, the paralyzed man need to be confronted about his desires of healing, a rich man needed a nightmare about Lazarus at his doorstep, the bleeding woman needed a touch of grace from Jesus.
How do we come to ourselves? How does God's grace break through? It takes what it takes.
